Our Mission:
Empower.
We aim to give scientists of color the tools to become innovators in the cognitive sciences.
Our Mission
The goal of the SPARK Society is to create networks and promote the professional development of historically excluded scholars of African American/Black, Latina/o/e American, and Native American heritage in Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Science.
We achieve this goal by:
- Providing opportunities and information for historically excluded undergraduates;
- Providing recruitment and retention support for historically excluded scholars;
- Providing mentorship support across all ranks; and
- Educating the broader community about recruitment and retention of historically excluded scholars.
1
By fostering
an environment that welcomes and nurtures junior scholars of color.
2
by contributing
to the professional development of scholars throughout their career.
3
by creating
a network that will provide contacts and connections to other scholars of color in Cognitive Science.
4
by implementing
an innovative model of mentorship whereby faculty members of the society will invite and mentor students who attend institutions located in the vicinity of conference locations.
Our Roots
The SPARK Society was founded by Duane G. Watson (Vanderbilt University), Jean E. Fox Tree (UC Santa Cruz), Alejandro Lleras (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), and Ayanna K. Thomas (Tufts University) in 2017. The mission of SPARK is to increase the numbers of Black/African Americans, Latinx, and Native Americans in cognitive psychology, cognitive science, linguistics, and cognitive neuroscience. Our mission is to create a national network for undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty.
“
On Diversity
Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.
Malcolm Forbes
Our Founders
Duane G. Watson, PhD.
Duane is a Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. He studies the cognitive processes that underlie language production and language comprehension.
Ayanna K. Thomas, PhD.
Ayanna K. Thomas is the Dean of Research in Arts and Sciences at Tufts University, who studies memory distortion and age-related changes in cognition. Ayanna is Caribbean-American and a first generation United States citizen.
Alejandro Lleras, PhD.
Alejandro is a Professor of Psychology, Charles Eriksen Professorial Scholar of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who focuses on visual attention and distraction.
Jean E. Fox Tree, PhD.
Jean is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who specializes in psycholinguistics.
Governing Board
Mayte Alonso, Student
Mayte is an undergraduate student in Psychology at New Mexico State University, where she is a research assistant in a cognitive psychology lab.
Arturo Hernandez, PhD.
Arturo is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Houston, who focuses on the neural bases of bilingualism.
Jennifer Kubota, Ph.D.
Jennifer Kubota is an assistant professor and co-director of the Impression Formation Social Neuroscience Lab in the Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware.
Ethan Kutlu, PhD.
Ethan is an Assistant Professor of Linguistics and Psychology at the University of Iowa. His research focuses on the diversity of speech and its perception.
Belem López, PhD.
Belem is an external Health Scientist Administrator (Program Director) at the NIH*. Previously, Dr. López was an Associate professor at The University of Texas who specializes in bilingualism and language brokering.
*Dr. López, NIH is serving in a personal capacity.
Jared Medina, PhD.
Jared is an Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of Delaware, who is an expert in how the brain represents our bodies and space.
Tori Peña, PhD.
Tori is a Postdoctoral Associate at Stony Brook University working with Doctors Suparna Rajaram and Bonita London. Her work examines how memories and future projections are shaped in social situations.
Marianne Lloyd, PhD.
Marianne is a Professor of Psychology at Seton Hall University, who focuses on memory errors and ways they can be avoided.
Get Involved
Get involved with the SPARK Society by becoming a mentor, advertising your department, or attending one of our annual meetings!
Job and fellowship postings
Click here for the latest opportunities for faculty and scholars alike
Scholars of color database
Click here to see a list of cognitive scientists of color
Volunteer
Click here to find out about ways to get involved in the community